


We Live Here and Now.

by RyouheiAkane



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - No Zombies, Hurt Rick, I mean, Just how, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Rick's got issues, Sweet Negan (Walking Dead), What Was I Thinking?, how
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-03 19:36:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10973955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyouheiAkane/pseuds/RyouheiAkane
Summary: You gotta always protect them.Always keep ‘em safe, right? Right!?…right.





	We Live Here and Now.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everybody!  
> First of all, sorry, I don't even know what this is and how it came out but yeah, here it is. So it seems I have a soft spot for writing hurt/comfort, sorry about that again.  
> Well, then if you like it let me know, kudos and comments are always appreciated, enjoy! :)
> 
> The Walking Dead belongs to AMC and its respective owner. I do not own any of the characters.

_You gotta always protect them._

_Always keep ‘em safe, right? Right!?_

_…right._

 

“Rick! Rick, c'me out an’ play with me.”

Rick felt bile rising up in his throat, the voice making his hackles raise. He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs, until his chords ripped, and then some.

“C’mon Rick, ya kno’ wha’ happens when ya play hard ta get, dontcha?”

_Carl. Judith. No._

“Hope ya ‘ready got no shit on, I hate ta get ya naked.”

_I gotta keep them safe._

With a cold shudder he decided to just go, he couldn’t risk his children, no matter what the price was.

“…dad?”

“I warned ya.”

 

_Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl. Carl.CarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCarlCa-_

“CARL!! CARL, OH GOD CARL NO!!”

There was nowhere to escape to now, nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide, nowhere to die, not now, not now that Carl-

“CAAAARL!! …oh Carl, Carl no please, please don’t-“

Negan was beside him, crying silently with his eyes scrunched close, sniffles barely held back. Rick was wrecked. Not this. After everyth- Not after everything they did together. What a fucking sick joke, what a fucking- His son… Oh God, his son… his boy was- his boy was-

It all rung loud, wheezing and white. Rick felt pierced and enveloped by the same sound, pitched.

“…ick! Rick, RICK!”

Rick doubled over sideways and retched, a hand in his hair and one on the small of his back, circling slowly to calm him down.

“Hush… it’s gonna be okay, take it easy, cowboy…”

Rick retched again, the acid of the bile making him feel sicker and sicker.

“That’s it, let it all out… ‘s gonna be fucking peachy after you do, I promise.” Rick sniffed, mouth hanging open, and finally a heavy sob wrecked through his ribcage, leaving him leaning over the side of the bed.

Warmth spread all around him like a heated blanket, and he leaned into it, grateful. “Oh baby, it’s over, take your sweet time… I ain’t going fucking nowhere. ‘m here.”

“...orry. ‘m sorry.”

“What?”

“’m sorry. Woke you up.”

“Don’t fucking even. It’s okay.”

Negan tightened his arms around him, rocking him gently back and forth until he calmed down, breathing all but even. Rick didn’t want to hear the piercing sound anymore, didn’t want to smell Negan’s aftershave, and the scent of his hot skin, didn’t want to think about anything anymore, just drift away for a long time. Rick had goosebumps. And his nose also caught the acrid scent of vomit. His face scrunched, it must be awful for Negan to be so close to him.

As he tried to gently disentangle himself Negan stopped him, turning his head to look at him straight. “Don’t you dare fucking move, cowboy, I got you.”

Negan got up and left, Rick heard his footsteps down the stairs and the tap open. As he thought, Negan returned shortly after with a large glass of water and padded back and onto the bed. Rick took the glass with a thankful nod, taking careful sips as to not upset his stomach more.

“Let’s get you washed up a little.”

Rick refused any help to the bathroom, but Negan followed him and stood against the door anyway. _Old sap._

He saw him look in the mirror after washing his face, concern immediately replaced by a neutral expression. _Really, old man?_ Rick chuckled lightly to himself. The man was sweet in his own way.

“Texted Carl, he told me, and I’d very much like to quote here, to _kindly go fuck yourself in the head with a barbed wire-wrapped baseball bat,_ close quotations. What a badass!” Rick groaned at the vulgarity his son sported. “Can’t blame the kid though,” he added “-it’s fucking five in the morning, he probably had just fallen asleep.”

Rick finished brushing his teeth _, for the third time_ , and spit into the sink, then felt Negan’s hand on his hips, brushing lightly. He nuzzled his hair and then moved down to ghost a kiss on his shoulder. Rick averted his eyes in shame, for what God only knows.

 

They were back in bed, covers thrown haphazardly on top, both looking at the ceiling as it held life’s most wanted answers, hands tangled together.

Negan was the first to speak.

“I still love you.” He said it as if he’s just realised it. “I still do.”

Rick watched him, an open smile and wrinkles around his eyes. He wanted to cry, this stupid wonderful man, what’d he do without him?

“I love you too, old man.”

“Hey, I’m in my fucking prime-“

“Shut up and kiss me.”

“Abso-fucking-lutely.”


End file.
